Threading block



Feb. 14, 1961 VILLAN; AL 2,971,542

THREADING BLOCK Filed Jan. 26, 1960 fzg. 5

IN VEN TOR. ANTONIO I/// L A N! JAMES W. RANK/1v J/a.

A TTORNE Y THREADING BLOCK Antonio Villani, Milford, and James W. Rankin, Jr.,

Uxbridge, Mass., assignors to Draper Corporation, Hopedale, Mass, a corporation of Maine Filed Jan. 26, 1960, Ser. No. 4,680

Claims. (Cl. 139-223) This invention pertains to improvements in threading blocks for loom shuttles.

It is a general object of the invention to devise a threading block for loom shuttles which can be easily threaded: in the loom with maximum certainty, which when oncethreaded shall be relatively secure against unthreading and which may be easily molded from a non-ductile metal such as cast iron and then formed into a completed article by few simple and easily accomplished machining operations.

A further object is that of devising a threading block in which it is very difiicult to throw loops of filling in any direction or in a manner such that they become improperly engaged about any part of the block.

Another object of the invention is that of making a very simple and rugged block which is easily machined by simple machining techniques and which is resistant to abuse, especially to damage such as might result from trapped bobbins.

Other objects will become apparent from the following disclosure.

In loom shuttles, especially the type used in automatic looms, the filling is threaded through and controlled by a threading block, sometimes referred to as a shuttle eye, and which must serve to control the filling as it is drawn from the bobbin and delivered by the shuttle during weav- In some shuttles, blocks are used which are integrally cast to comprise the body, horn, side eye notch, scroll and, in fact, all parts except a steel pin or pins which may be inserted in the block during its manufacture. An example of such a block is evident in United States Patent No. 2,707,975. The block of that patent functions very well for many kinds of filling and fabrics, but for certain types of filling it is desirable to employ a block easily threaded but relatively secure or immune to unthreading. Of course, such a block must, to be practical, be easily and economically manufactured, and more or less equal to previously used blocks in its ruggedness and ability to withstand abuses which occur during operation.

According to the instant invention, a threading block is so devised as to be cast from iron or other non-ductile metals and finished by simple machining operations including drilling, milling and tumbling or smoothing the finished block in some suitable way. While in the previ ously patented block the scroll has been contained within the confines of the thread channel, the present scroll is spaced from and positioned in advance of that channel and thereby a very effective and rugged scroll is formed by machining processes which involve simple tools and straightforward cuts all of which reduce cost of manufacture and likelihood of rejects.

A casting, as will hereafter be described, has an extension at the thread entrance end of the block which after machining becomes the scroll. The thread channel is preferably formed by casting but in any event, the scroll is not confined or even entered in that channel. It is connected to the block body at the top, forward side and takes its form after drilling a more or less central aperture, then sawing, milling or otherwise cutting a slot through the material of the casting to space the scroll from the body. This cut is preferably inclined. Finally, a cut is made at the front side and below the scroll supporting connection to the body through which the filling enters the aperture at threading. Other finishing steps follow.

The details of the block, the method of manufacture and its operation will be described more fully in the following description which refers to the accompanying figures of drawing, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a plan view of a shuttle to which a block according to the invention has been applied;

Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the shuttle of Fig. 1;

Figs. 3-6 are views showing the block at each of several progressive steps in its manufacture;

Fig. 7 is a section taken through the block but leaving the scroll intact; I

' Fig. 8 is a top view of the block.

Now referring to Figs. 1 and 2, a shuttle 10 of conventional design carries a filling package 11 and a threading block generally indicated by numeral 12 and which is inset at about the usual position in the shuttle body and held in place by a bolt 13. This block comprises a body portion 14, ahorn 15, the end 16 of which ispreferably formed with a lip 17 cooperating in known manner with an indentation 18 in the shuttle to provide a trap'for the from the body but connected thereto by a connecting pornel and needs no machining.

tion 20, all these parts being cast originally as a single piece and formed to their particular shapes by machining as will be explained. The back wall 21 combines with the body portions at the front and bottom to define a longitudinal thread channel 22. Preferably, this is a cast chan- A side eye recess 23 of usual form cooperates with the adjacent part of the shuttle to confine the filling to its intended path once it has been fully threaded. Steel pins 24 and 25 may or may not be used as required.

To describe the block in greater detail, a casting as shown in Fig. 3 comprises material enough when properly disposed to give the resulting block after machining. This casting is treated in the usual way and the present description will be limited to differences incidental to the novel part of the block. As shown in Fig. 4, a hole or aperture 26 is drilled in the extending part of the block at which the scroll is to be formed. This hole is countersunk to give it smooth entrance surfaces for the filling.

At this point the aperture would enter and align generally with the thread channel 22, but there is no entrance for the filling nor does the scroll yet take on any specific form. To space the scroll from the body portion of the block as shown in Figs. 5 and 7, a cut 27 is made by sawing, milling or in any suitable way, this cut being made from the bottom upwardly and preferably .at a slight angle as shown. This cut is carried to a point at least above the aperture, but should be stopped to leave a sufiicient amount of material at 20 for a strong connecting portion between the scroll and body. In Fig. 5 the dot-and-dash lines show the boundaries of the casting prior to making the cut 27.

At this point it only remains to provide an entrance cut or slot for the filling to enter the scroll at threading. This is done by a final machining operation, for example, by milling or otherwise making a slot 28, Fig. 6, this preferably being at about the level shown and cut so as to form a smooth entrance for the filling at a height to leave a scroll which is of sufficient length or are to permit easy and rapid threading but which is very effective in preventing unthreading such as often happens with Patented Feb. 14, 1961.

these solid scroll type eyes. This slot is cut in from the side rather than upwardly from adjacent the bottom and blends in with material at the connecting portion 20 so as to provide smooth surfaces past which the filling travels in being threaded.

At this point the basic form of the block including the scroll 29 is completed and, of course, the usual finishing operations are performed such as tumbling or otherwise polishing and coating with whatever protecting finish is used.

In operation, at transfer, the filling aligns more or less with thecenter of the thread channel and scroll and as it presses downwardly it snaps below the lip 17 and at the same time, down beneath the scroll and around the lower part of that element by a sort of swirling motion until it rises up to and snaps into the entrance slot 28. Once threaded into the scroll it is very difficult for it to escape.

In the event filling of reverse twist is to be woven the scroll is to be formed reversely, that is, it interconnects by a similar portion to that at 2 0, but extending from the rear Wall 21 instead. The rear wall in such case should be strengthened by making it thicker. This scroll will curve oppositely to terminate at an entrance slot at the back instead of at the front.

The size and proportions of parts may vary as required;

also, while cast iron is the preferred material used, any

other non-ductile material, for example, bronze, may be substituted.

While one embodiment of the invention has been disclosed, it is to be understood that the inventive concept may be carried out in a number of Ways. This invention is, therefore, not to be limited to the precise details described, but is intended to embrace all variations and modifications thereof falling within the spirit of the invention and the scope of the claims.

We claim:

1. A threading block for loom shuttles comprised as a nonductile metal casting and having means defining a longitudinal thread channel, a side eye recess and a horn with a thread confining lip and a scroll cast integrally with said block and positioned separate from and in advance of the thread channel considering the direction of passage of the filling through the block.

2. A threading block for loom shuttles comprised as a non-ductile metal casting and having means defining a longitudinal thread channel, a side eye recess and a horn with a thread confining lip and a scroll cast integrally with said block positioned separate from and in advance of that portion of the block which contains the thread channel, said scroll comprising an arcuate member which defines an aperture in general alignment with the thread channel and having a thread entrance slot.

3. A threading block for loom shuttles comprised as a non-ductile metal casting and having means defining a longitudinal thread channel, a side eye recess and a horn with a thread confining lip and a scroll cast integrally with said block positioned separate from and in advance of that portion of the block which contains the thread channeLsaid scroll comprising an arcuate member which defines an aperture in general alignment with the thread channel and having a thread entrance slot at the front of said block.

4. A threading block for loom shuttles comprised as a non-ductile metal casting and having means defining a longitudinal thread channel, a side eye recess and a horn with a thread confining lip and a scroll cast integrally with said block positioned separate from and in advance of that portion of the block which contains the thread channel, said scroll comprising an arcuate member which defines an aperture in general alignment with the thread channel and having a thread entrance slot at the front of said block said scroll being connected to the body of the block by a connecting portion positioned above the entrance slot.

5. A threading block as defined in claim 4 wherein the filling entrance slot enters the scroll aperture at a level at least as high as a horizontal center line through that aperture.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,649,618 Shaw Nov. 15, 1927 2,573,666 Kaufmann Oct. 30, 1951 2,604,909 Honegger July 29, 1952 2,723,684 Gosselin Nov. 15, 1955 

